Frenchsales and finance outfit Wild Bunch is heading into Cannes with a dynamic slatethat includes everything from big-budget sci-fi to art-househeartstring-tuggers.

The company is handling world rights on the $45m Outlanderproduced by LA-based Ascendant Pictures, the company behind Andrew Niccol's LordOf War. Directed by Howard McCain, the film boasts production designcreated by Godzilla and Independence Day's Patrick Tatopoulos.

Wild Bunch chief Vincent Maraval calls Outlander a"cross between Lord Of The Rings and Alien Vs. Predator."The movie follows a space ship that crash lands on Earth during the time of theVikings - battles, wrongful imprisonment, a vengeful alien predator and loveabound. Shooting begins in July with casting yet to be confirmed.

The Loop is a $12m romantic comedy starring real-life coupleMatthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz. Directed by SR Bindler from a novel byJoe Coomer, the film is also produced by Ascendant. Set in Texas, The Loopfollows McConaughey's character Lyman as reluctantly he falls in love withCruz's Fiona. The two encounter a 90-year old parrot who holds secrets toLyman's past and the keys to a mysterious future. Wild Bunch has world rightsto the film which will begin shooting in September.

At $22m, The Informer is directed by Enemy Of TheState screenwriter David Marconi and produced by Thelma And Louise'sMimi Polk Gitlin. Shooting will begin in late September in Europe on the filmabout a woman who becomes an FBI informer to unlock the secret to her sister'sdeath. Casting is set to be confirmed shortly on the post-9/11 thriller aboutpower and corruption. Wild Bunch has world rights.

Respiro director Emmanuel Crialese is currently shooting TheGolden Door starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Vincenzo Amato. The film is alanguorous look at a family's passage from Sicily to Ellis Island. Maravallikens the film to Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful as hard truthsare learned upon the family's arrival. Images of the film also bring to mindearly scenes from The Godfather Part II

A co-production from France's Memento Films, Titti Film, Rai Cinema,Respiro and Arte France Cinema, The Golden Door will be released byMemento Films Distribution in France. Wild Bunch is selling world rights on theEuros 12m film.

French master Claude Chabrol returns with La Comedie DuPouvoir currently shooting with Isabelle Huppert and Francois Berleand.Huppert plays a judge sitting a case of embezzlement and misappropriation ofpublic funds against the president of a powerful industrial conglomerate. Asshe feeds on the power and notoriety the case is bringing her, her family lifebegins to shatter. Wild Bunch has world rights. The Euros 10m film will bereleased by its distribution arm Pan Europeenne in December 2005.

Cargo is an English-language thriller from director CliveGordon and written by Ken Loach-collaborator Paul Laverty. Starring PeterMullan, Daniel Bruhl and Luis Tosar, film is a game of cat and mouse set on acargo ship. Wild Bunch is handling world sales.

In post-production, Kim Chapiron's Le Sheitan starsVincent Cassel and Roxanne Mesquida. Film is a mix of ultra-black comedy andhorror in French which will be released by Mars Distribution locally. WildBunch has world rights.

The third instalment of the misadventures of inspector JoseLuis Torrente, The Protector, is being readied by director SantiagoSegura on an Euros 8m budget. The first two films were smash hits at theSpanish box-office. The hapless Torrente will be joined in a cameo by directorOliver Stone in The Protector who is a fan of the films. Wild Bunch hasworld rights outside Spain.

Wild Bunch will have a promo reel at Cannes of the next filmfrom Carnages director Delphine Gleize, The Man Who Wanted A Child.The Euros 1.5m heart-warmer is about a man who adopts a child but when theadoptee appears, he ends up to be an 80 year old man. Balthazar Productions isproducing.

A twenty minute section of George Romero's Land Of TheDead will have a special screening on Friday 13. The film marks the returnof the horror master and will be released in France by Pan Europeenne inAugust. US distributor Universal Pictures is said to have been so thrilled withthe film that its release date was pushed from an original start of October 31to June 22.

Further, promo reels will be available on Bertrand Blier's HowMuch Do You Love Me starring Monica Bellucci and Gerard Depardieu; NicoleGarcia's intimate look at the intertwining lives of 7 men, Charlie Says';Abel Ferrara's Mary starring Juliette Binoche, Forest Whitaker, HeatherGraham and Matthew Modine; Stuart Gordon's David Mamet-adaptation Edmondwith William H. Macy, Julia Stiles, Mena Suvari, Bai Ling and Joe Montegna;Spanish master Carlos Saura's Iberia; extreme sex documentary No BodyIs Perfect from Avalanche Productions; Emmanuelle Bercot's Backstagewith Emmanuelle Seigner and Isild Le Besco; Mohsen Makhmalbaf's comedy Sex& Philosophy; Francois Rotger's English-French-Japanese language ThePassenger and Sergei Bodrov's sweeping epic Nomad.

Wild Bunch is also handling Un Certain Regard title Eli,Eli, Lema Sabachtani from Aoyama Shinji, Directors' Fortnight comedy DouchesFroides by Antony Cordier and The Great Ecstasy Of Robert Carmichaelwhich has a berth in Critics' Week.